The Nutritional Difference Between Flour And Egg White Wraps

When you're looking to create a healthy lunch for yourself, you might decide to make a delicious wrap filled with hearty veggies, flavorful dressings, and protein-packed fillings. But have you considered how healthy the wrap itself is? You can make your own flour tortillas for a delicious wrap or, alternatively, a tasty egg white wrap with your favorite fillings. But if you're wondering what kind of nutrition each wrap offers, then there are a number of differences between the two that you should consider. 

Flour tortillas contain nutrients and minerals that can be great for your digestive health, oral health, and overall energy. On the flip side, flour wraps also have elements that may not be so good for you. Egg white wraps contain nutrients that can be great for your muscles, and bones, and regulate your blood pressure, but there are also things to watch out for. So, how exactly do these two kinds of wraps compare in their specific nutritional breakdown?

Flour tortillas consist mainly of flour and water. According to Nutrition Value, a single flour tortilla contains around 150 calories. It also has 1.7 grams of dietary fiber, a nutrient that can keep bowels healthy and help lower cholesterol. The flour tortilla also contains 1.8 milligrams of iron, a nutrient that can boost your vitality because of its positive effects on your energy levels and concentration. The tortilla will have 72 milligrams of calcium, a nutrient essential to your teeth and bone health. While flour tortillas contain 4 grams of protein, they also have 4 grams of fat, 1.4 grams of which is saturated.

If you like flour tortillas, then you should probably be mindful of how often you season them since each tortilla has 361 milligrams of sodium, 16% of the recommended daily intake. Although sodium is good for muscle performance and nerve functions, too much salt can cause a rise in blood pressure, according to Healthline. Flour tortillas are also made from wheat, so they contain gluten, which Harvard's School of Public Health says can cause bloating, constipation, or diarrhea if your body has a gluten sensitivity. 

Comparatively, the main ingredient for egg tortillas is egg whites. Per Nutritionix, the same-sized egg white wrap has around 62 calories, 2.8 grams of total fat, 6.1 milligrams of cholesterol, 130 milligrams of sodium, and less than 1 gram of dietary fiber. It also has 43 milligrams of calcium, 0.7 milligrams of iron, and 146 milligrams of potassium — compared to a flour tortilla's 61 milligrams. Potassium is a substance that, according to Healthline, could help lower your blood pressure and keep you from developing osteoporosis if consumed abundantly in your diet.

An egg white wrap also has 4.2 grams of protein, a nutrient that can help to curb your appetite as well as build muscle. Egg white wraps can also be made gluten, dairy, and sugar-free. If your egg wrap is made without flour, it will also have zero carbohydrates. While flour tortillas have zero cholesterol in their makeup, if you leave out the egg yolk, egg white wraps will also be cholesterol-free, which makes either a great option if you need to keep your cholesterol in check. Keep these nutritional breakdowns of a flour tortilla and egg white wrap in mind, and choose whichever suits your dietary needs the next time you want to make a healthy wrap.